STEVENS POINT, WI (WSAU-WAOW) -- After a racially driven crime in Junction City against a man's Hmong neighbor and an anonymous letter sent to Rep. Katrina Shankland asking her to deport all Hmong people, the Hmong community came together in Stevens Point Saturday night.

Bruce Thao was the Keynote Speaker at the event and told Newsline 9 he believes being able to talk about issues like this is the key to getting past them.

He said, "It's tied to a broader widespread phenomenon of hate, of anti-immigrant. We have an opportunity here to find new ways to have conversations."

Long Xiong is an organizer for the event and tells Newsline 9 although the note being sent and the Junction City stand-off aren't related, he hopes they can work to bring the Hmong community closer.

"Even though it is (a) separate sort of topic, it kind of just tightly knits everything together," said Xiong. "Who knows, maybe this will actually impact a lot of people?"

A representative for the family from Junction City has said they have moved from their home because they don't feel safe anymore. This was the 23rd Annual Hmong Conference held at UW-Stevens Point.